Refrigerator



May 20, 1930. T. J. LITLE, JR

REFRIGERATOR Filed Aug. 16, 1926 ve/ziwf Patented May 20, 1930 UNITED STATELSYPATENT OFFICE THOMAS J. LITIIE, JR, 0] DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO OOI'ELAIID PRODUCTS, INCL, OI DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN REFRIGERATOR Application filed Augult 16, 1326. Serial No. 129,812.

An object of my invention is to provide refrigerating apparatus which may be so economically produced and assembled as to materially lessen the cost of mechanical refri erators.

nother object of my invention is to provide refrigerating apparatus, the heat absorbing means of which may be utilized to partition the interior space of the refrigerator cabinet into separate compartments, and thereby utilize as little as possible of the food stora e or freezing space in the cabinet.

A'Further object ofmy invention is to provide a refrigerating apparatus having a heat absorbing means which is in constant contact with all air strata of the interior space of the refrigerator cabinet, andto provlde a heat'dissipating means of the same construction as the heat absorbing means and which may be interchanged therewith.

A further object of my invention is to provide a unique assemblage of parts such as will make for economy, convenience and compactness.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and construction of the various parts of my improved device, as described in the specification, claimed in my claims and shown in the accompanying drawings, m which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a refrigerator cabinet with door removed showin my invention, partly in section, embodie therein.

Fig. 2 is a view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

I have shown a refrigerator cabinet 1 having a motor 2 with a direct drive refrigerant compressor 3 secured thereto, positioned on the cabinet top 4. Within the storage space of the cabinet 1 which is generally designated by the numeral 5, is positioned a refrigerant expansion chamber 6 of proper length, width and thickness to form a vertical partition dividing the storage space 5 into two separate compartments 7 and 8. The expansion chamher 6 is constructed of two sheets of metal imposed upon each other, and welded together at their edges as at 50, and at a plurality of indented points in their ad'acent surfaces as at 51, thus forming enclose connected spaces between the welded points of the adjacent surfaces for containing refrigerant.

Secured to one side-of the expansion chamher 6 at spaced intervals are a plurality of angle arms 9 for supporting containers or ice trays 13, and secured to the opposite side of expansion chamber 6 "are a plurality of angle brackets 10 for supporting one side of the shelves 11. Similar an le brackets 10 are secured to the interior si e wall of the cabinet hfor supporting the opposite sides of-shelves' Beneath the lower edge of the expansion chamber 6 is positioned a drip pan 12 for receiving water formed b the melting of frost on the expansion cham er. A closure 14 is provided for the compartment 7 and has openings 15 therein for the insertion of the drawer-like ice trays or containers 13.

Vertically positioned upon and secured to the exterior back wall 16 (or to the side wall if desired) of the cabinet 1 by brackets 23 is a condenser 17 which is of the same form and construction as the expansion chamber 6, and as shown in the drawing, is of the same size.

The pipe 18 connects the compressor 3 with the condensor 17, the pipe 19 connects the condenser 17 with the expansion valve 20, the pipe 21 connects the expansion valve 20 with the expansion chamber 6, and the pipe -22-connects the expansion chamber 6 with and the ice trays or food containers 13 is fa.

cilitated by the metal angle arms 9 which act as heat conductors or fins and add materially to the heat absorbing surface of the expansion chamber. The closure 14 which separates the compartment 7 from contact with outside air currents when the refrigerator cabinet is opened, and also from contact with air currents in compartment 8, makes it possible to maintain the low degree of temperature in compartment 7 which is necessary to the freezing of ice or of food preparations in the containers or trays 13. The angle brackets 10 which are secured to expansion chamber 6,

ioo

' -inet carries only the combined motor and compressor, so that considerable unused space ispresent. Extending from the free end of the motor 2, toward the front of the cabinet,

is the motor shaft 52, the end of which may be provided with a taper and a key so that various household appliances may be fastened thereon, such as egg beaters, cream whippers, or any other iece of mechanism adapted to be rotated. ecause of the large amountof unused space on the top of the box, it may be utilized as a table for such general work and the motor is accordingly positioned well toward the rear'of the top.

Also, if desired, the bottom portion 55 of the closure or cover plate 14 may be made movable, as by hinging at 56, so that bottles of liquid or other like objects may be inserted through the same into the cooling chamber, when it is desired to cool them more quickly than would be possible in the food compartment.

It will be obvious that various change may be made in the arrangement, combination and construction of the various parts of my improved device without departing from the spirit of my invention, and it is my intention to cover b my claims such changes as may b; reasona ly included within the scope there- 0 What I claim is:

1.In combination, a refrigerator cabinet having an expansion chamber therein, said expansion chamber comprising sheets of metal having refrigerant spaces between them, said sheets positioned to form a vertical partition dividing the cabinet into compartments of unequal size sealed against a substantial. circulation of a r between them, and a drip receiver positioned along the bottom edge of the artition;

2. In com ination, a refrigerator cabinet having a storage space therein, a sheet-like refrigerant expansion chamber extending between the top and bottom thereof positioned within said storage space and dividing the same into separate compartments of materially different volumes, and ledges in thermal contact with said expansion chamber for combined heat absorbing fins and receptacle supports.

3. In combination, a refrigerator cabinet having a storage space therein, a vertically extending refrigerant expansion chamber of substantiall the same height as said space positioned therein and dividing the same into separate compartments of materially different volumes, a front cover plate for one of said compartments independent of the cover for said cabinet having a movable portion adjacent the bottom thereof whereby objects to be cooled may be inserted through the opening formed when such portion is o ened and the portion moved back to maintain the closure. I

4:. In combination, a refrigerator cabinet having a vertically disposed expansion chamber therein, said expansion chamber comprising sheets of metal having refrigerant spaces between them, said sheets being positioned to provide a relatively imperforate vertical wall dividing the interior of said cabinet into a pair of chambers of materially different volumes. I

5. In combination, a refrigerator cabinet adapted for artificial cooling and having a storage space therein, a refrigerating system having an expansion chamber of substantially the same height as said storage space vertically positioned within said storage space for dividing the same into separate compartments of materially different volumes, means in thermal contact with said chamber for supporting ice trays or food containers on the smallest compartment side of said expansion chamber, and means for supporting shelves on the other side of said expansion chamber.

6. In combination, a mechanically cooled refrigerator cabinet having a storage space therein, a primary closure for said space, a

refrigerating system having an expansion chamber vertically positioned within said storage space for dividing the same into sep arate compartments of materially different volumes, means secured to the smallest compartment side of said expansion chamber serving as the sole support for ice trays or food containers, means on the other side of said expansion for supporting shelves, and a secondary closure for said smallest compartment.

THOMAS J. LITLE, JR.

Wax 

